TY - JOUR T1 - A Comparison of Educational Differences on Physical Health, Mortality, and Healthy Life Expectancy in Japan and the United States. JF - J Aging Health Y1 - 2016 A1 - Chi-Tsun Chiu A1 - Mark D Hayward A1 - Saito, Yasuhiko KW - Activities of Daily Living KW - Age Distribution KW - Aged KW - Cause of Death KW - Cross-Cultural Comparison KW - Educational Status KW - Employment KW - Family Characteristics KW - Female KW - Health Status KW - Health Surveys KW - Healthy Lifestyle KW - Humans KW - Japan KW - Life Expectancy KW - Life Tables KW - Longitudinal Studies KW - Male KW - Middle Aged KW - Regression Analysis KW - Retirement KW - Sex Distribution KW - United States AB -
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the educational gradient of health and mortality between two long-lived populations: Japan and the United States.
METHOD: This analysis is based on the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Health and Retirement Study to compare educational gradients in multiple aspects of population health-life expectancy with/without disability, functional limitations, or chronic diseases, using prevalence-based Sullivan life tables.
RESULTS: Our results show that education coefficients from physical health and mortality models are similar for both Japan and American populations, and older Japanese have better mortality and health profiles.
DISCUSSION: Japan's compulsory national health service system since April 1961 and living arrangements with adult children may play an important role for its superior health profile compared with that of the United States.
VL - 28 IS - 7 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27590801?dopt=Abstract ER -